Through the Dark
by CrossingSilverLines
Summary: True love isn't easy but it must be fought for because once you find it, it can never be replaced. By a string of strange events, they somehow became a family - they won't give up and they'll always find each other. A collection of one-shots surrounding Captain Swan, Snowing and the Charming family.
1. Secrecy

**Because I think there isn't enough Daddy Charming - Emma scenes on the show. Hopefully there'll be much, much more than what we get now.**

**I don't own anything, unfortunately. If I did, there would be more Captain Swan, Captain Charming (my BROTP) and David-Emma. I obviously love David. And Hook. Sigh...**

* * *

The first time David noticed something was off with Emma was when he entered Granny's on one cold winter day. Snow had sent him on a morning coffee run, but he was willing to bet she didn't know he'd find their daughter sitting in a table in the back of the room, staring at her hot chocolate with a thoughtful look on her face. He studied her for a short minute, before deciding he'd talk to her.

After he quickly told Ruby his order, he walked over to the blonde wearing a frown on her face, and slid in the booth. Emma's head snapped up, and a flash of fear passed over her face, before she saw it was him and relaxed. She let out a strangled laugh, gripping her mug rather tightly, in David's opinion.

"It's you," she breathed, shaking her head. For a moment David thought she was actually _scared _he was someone else, but quickly shook it off. In the last few months he learned Emma was becoming a lot stronger than before. It was a good kind of strong, not the bad one, the one that protected her from everyone and everything. The kind that kept the good things out of her life.

He laughed, "Of course it's me. Who else?"

Emma looked at him, and a smile spilled over her lips. David felt one tug at the corners of his mouth as well. He had no idea how or why their relationship made such progress in the last few months, but he was damn well glad it did. It hasn't been that long since they defeated the Wicked Witch and rebuilt Storybrooke, and David knew things were still far from _good, _but at least they were starting to get _normal._

"I thought you were Hook," she said, her face falling again.

David narrowed his eyes slightly at the sudden change of her attitude, but was more focused on scowling at the mention of the pirate. "Of course you did."

Emma grinned widely again, giving David a slight whiplash. "Aw, are you jealous, _dad_?"

He didn't even bother denying it. It was common knowledge by now that David wasn't fond of the idea of her daughter and Hook _as a couple, _but it wasn't like he had a say in the matter. So he settled on silent rebellion, scoffing every time he saw them making googly eyes at each other, earning himself an eye-roll from Emma, Snow, Hook and just about everyone else.

Ugh.

Emma nudged him lightly, "David? You're spacing out on me."

"Huh? Right, sorry. Of course I'm jealous," he said, reaching for one of the cookies she had on a plate in front of her, only to have his hand slapped away. "I just got you back and I already have to share you with somebody else."

His daughter rolled her eyes in a way that was just... him. "Says the man who's having another kid."

Crap. He completely forgot about that. Sitting there with Emma, he forgot about his _very pregnant _wife who was waiting for her half-caf, double vanilla latte or whatever the hell did she tell him to get her. He didn't remember this whole 'pregnancy thing' being so hard thirty years ago when Snow was pregnant with Emma. Maybe he was just getting old.

It didn't feel as good as he thought it would. Getting old, that is.

But David, Snow and Emma had talked about it, and after some yelling, crying, and venting out they wound up hugging, after which Emma told them they had her blessing, and that she already loved the kid so much. He knew something was bothering her, so he wasn't going to let it slide that easily. "Someone's playing dirty today," he said jokingly, trying to get a cookie again. This time she let him have it, and he couldn't help but feel victorious as he munched on it slowly.

She sighed, letting her hands drops to her lap. "You're right. That was kind of below the belt. I'm sorry."

He put the cookie on the table, fixing her with the softest glare he could muster. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" she asked, looking back at him.

"You just seem... off."

"Dav - _dad_, I'm fine. Look, I promised Henry I'd pick him up after school. I gotta go," she said, scooping up her keys and throwing on her jacket. Before David even got to blink she was out the door, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind.

"But Emma," he yelled after her, drawing attention from the entire crowded diner, "It's only ten in the morning!"

* * *

The second time he knew something was up was a few days after he talked to her in the diner. His eyes nearly bulged out at the sight of his transferred genes sitting in her small yellow car, parked a few blocks away from the sheriff station. Her head was bowed down and she stared at something in her hands. At first he thought that maybe she was crying, and rushed towards her, but then he saw her raise a hamburger to her lips and froze in his spot.

What the hell?

David blinked once, twice, and then rubbed his eyes, thinking that maybe he was seeing things. But no, when he looked again his daughter was still sitting in her bug, eating that hamburger and clinging to it like her life depended on it. She also looked like she was about to run to Vegas and have Elvis marry them. Love didn't last for long, though, and David wasn't even done feeling weird about the first burger, when she pulled out another one. He narrowed his eyes, seeing her also pull out a jumbo milkshake and some fries.

Where was she pulling out all the food from?

Finally, he stuck his hands in his pockets and headed for her car. This was ridiculous. Something was off and he was going to find out what, even if it killed him. Knowing Emma, it probably will.

David tapped on her window gently, shaking from the cold air as his breath came out in foggy huffs. Emma jerked slightly at the knocking, but didn't jump like the last time he sneaked up on her. She rolled down her window and smiled at him. David fought to keep in a laugh - she had ketchup smeared around her mouth like a five year old.

It was beginning to dawn on him that, concerning all the things he missed with Emma, he could still make up. She was somehow a child, a teenager and an adult all wrapped up in one beautiful package.

"Whatcha doin', Emma?" he asked slowly.

She shrugged, looking guilty, like she was caught eating candy before dinner. "Nothing, just... eating."

"Yeah, I can see that. Why are you in your car?"

"I was... hungry?" she tried, though he could see her heart wasn't really in it.

David arched an eyebrow, set on dealing with her weirdness once and for all. "Okay, seriously. You've been acting weird for the last two weeks. What's wrong with you?" he propped himself on his elbow.

Emma watched him as he grinned boyishly and narrowed her eyes at him. She knew she should probably tell him. Emma was slowly going crazy, keeping the secret in. She wanted to run to the top of the clock tower and scream it from there, but something stopped her, weighted her down. Maybe it was that paralyzing fear she first felt when she found out, or the unadulterated happiness that came after that. Whatever it was, it once again stopped her from admitting it out loud. It wasn't the right time for the words to leave her mouth. It was the right person that should have heard them, but it wasn't the right time.

So she lied. Again. "Nothing's wrong," she said, flashing him a brilliant smile.

David sighed, his head lowering. "Emma... You know you can talk to me, right? If something's bothering you, I'm here."

The confession was on the tip of her tongue, and if she had stared at him for a second longer she would have blurted the whole thing out. She bit the inside of her cheek and focused her stare on the french fries, telling herself he would be angry with her. Furious. Disappointed.

Oh, she could not deal with Prince Charming's _disappointed face _right now.

"I'm fine," she said again, steeling her voice.

David seemed disappointed that she didn't open up to him, but Emma couldn't allow herself to feel bad about it now. She sent him another smile and he nodded back at her, telling her he'll see her back at Mary Margaret's apartment. Emma watched him as he walked away from her car, going in the direction of the sheriff station. It was his shift, she remembered.

Emma sighed.

Right person. Wrong time.

* * *

Some time after that the whole Storybrooke came together at Granny's to celebrate Belle's birthday. David and Mary Margaret barely managed to push through the door, and David couldn't help but huff a little. A very pregnant Mary Margaret, who also had quite the heated personality as Snow White, was one very complicated pregnant woman. And although David loved her and their second child so much, he was starting to wish the kid would just come out already. This was exhausting.

Snow was already eating her fourth piece of cake when Emma, Henry and Hook tumbled in, bickering over something. Well, Henry and Hook were bickering, Emma was spitting out orders with a deadly look on her face.

"No, you are not doing _that _to my couch! What's wrong with you?" she asked, briefly turning around.

David and Mary Margaret walked up to them. David immediately noticed the way Emma's mouth watered at the sight of the cake.

Mary Margaret smile at them. "What's going on?"

Emma rolled her eyes as she took of her coat. "They're acting like kids."

"But I am a kid! Technically." Henry rebelled.

Emma nodded. She had to give him that. She turned to Hook. "Fine, and what's your excuse?"

Hook ignored her and instead turned to David, who was having way too much fun watching Emma manhandle the pirate. "Why didn't you tell me it would be this bloody hard?"

"Oh, no, no, no. This is all on you, captain. You got what you wanted - now deal with it."

Emma's mouth dropped open, and she shot daggers at him when she looked at him. "You are seriously not helping either of your cases."

"I'm just messing with you."

"Yeah well, don't. I'm gonna go get a drink. Henry, you want something?"

The kid froze for a second. "Apple juice," he rambled out quickly, earning a couple of weird looks from the grown-ups surrounding him.

"Henry, are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine, it's just that..."

"What?"

"It's Emma," Henry said finally, "she's been acting really weird lately."

"You noticed that too, huh?" David muttered. "Glad to know I'm not the only one."

Hook snorted at this, like he knew all to well what David was talking about. Henry was quick to explain when he saw the confused look on his grandfather's face. "Last night, she almost threw him out because he accidentally changed the channel."

Mary Margaret looked at Hook with wide eyes, as if she wanted him to confirm it. The pirate nodded. "I have to say, I've faced many things, but that was, by far, the scariest I've ever seen," he said with a grin.

"Did you do something else to piss her off? You seem to have a knack for it," David smirked, handing him a beer bottle. He couldn't stop feeling surprised at the fact that the pirate he once wanted to just shoot in the face was now his, not that he'd ever admit it, drinking buddy. But, David figured, people change or at least show their true colors, which is what the 'fearsome' captain Hook did. Luckily for them, his true colors turned out to be much, much better than they originally thought. Hook had come through with getting Emma from New York and had risked his life numerous times to save both Emma _and _David during the fight with the Wicked Witch. The least the Prince could do was admit the man was his friend.

"Dave, I can honestly say I did not. I've been on my best behavior."

"It's true, he has," Henry added.

"Then I don't know what's going on with her, but we better find out before someone loses a head." David left _Hook _unsaid, but everyone, except Henry, knew it was hanging in the air.

Mary Margaret and David settled into one of the booths after she declared she couldn't dance anymore because her feet were killing her.

"I feel like a whale," she announced, glancing down at her body.

David laughed, even though it was a testy territory, and shook his head. "Snow, I don't remember you being like this when you were pregnant with Emma. Why are you suddenly so worried about your weight and looks and everything else? You know I think you look beautiful no matter what."

"That's sweet but David, this time I have two personalities in my head. Mary Margaret isn't really happy about the fact that her clothes size doubled. Do you know how hard it is for me to get into jeans? I stopped trying months ago."

"I know, you told me."

She swatted at his arm playfully when Hook slid into the seat next to David. "Have you seen Swan?"

Mary Margaret shook her head, "No, we thought she was with you and Henry."

"Henry went to tell Regina something and when I turned around, your daughter was gone. How does one get lost in a diner?"

"The better question is - how do _you _lose someone in a diner? What are you doing?" David asked suddenly, looking over at Mary Margaret.

"I'm eating," she replied incredulously.

"Yeah but..." David trailed off, cocking his head to the side. Mary Margaret had a little ketchup smeared on the lip outline, and David's mind instantly flashed to Emma. Why was everything about Emma's recent behavior so familiar to him? It was almost as if he'd lived through it before.

Seeing Snow's chin made him feel like someone pulled the rug from under him. Of course he lived through it. He did it _twice. _

"Oh my God," he mumbled.

"What?" Hook asked, oblivious as ever as he and Snow talked about something.

"Move!" David barked, pushing him out of the way so he could get out of the booth. "Come on, Hook," he urged him, "move!"

"I'm going!"

"David?" Mary Margaret eyed him carefully, like he was losing his mind. He felt like he was, anyway.

"I have to find Emma!" he shouted back at them, already getting lost in the crowd of people.

Hook leaned back in his seat, bringing the bottle closer to his lips. "I can see where Emma gets her crazy from," he said before he took a swig.

Mary Margaret only laughed.

* * *

"David, what are you doing?" Emma asked as he pushed her into Granny's office in the back of the diner. "Did you finally lose your mind over Mary Margaret's pregnancy?"

David locked the door behind him. "No, but I'm getting there," he said hastily, before fixing her with his stare.

Her eyes darted down and she stared at her feet, feeling like a little girl under his intense gaze. "What?" she mumbled.

"Did you tell him?"

"Tell who what?"

"Hook," David said gently, "that you're pregnant."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and protected. "I'm not..." she sighed. "How'd you know?"

"Emma, it doesn't matter if you're the savior, even you can't escape the mood swings. And hamburgers, apparently," he said, making her laugh. "But anyway, you didn't see Snow pregnant so you don't know that you actually both have the same tells, if one knows how to look for them," he grinned slyly. He continued, "Both of you could eat a horse, you get really scary sometimes and honestly, there's just something different about you. Good different."

"I'm scared," she admitted. In that moment, David knew none of her walls were up. She was scared, her feelings were exposed and she felt like that orphan again, hopeless. But this time, David would be damned if he let her feel alone.

"Of him leaving?" he guessed.

"Well that, yeah, but also..." she trailed off.

He nodded, understanding. "Henry."

Emma nodded. "What if I just wasn't cut out to be a mom? Not from the start anyway. I'm not really the warmest person out there, how am I supposed to-"

"Hey, it's okay," David jumped in, seeing she was on the verge of spontaneous combustion. "Henry loves you, he thinks you're the best mom in the world."

"That's because Regina isn't the brightest flower in the garden either."

"It doesn't matter. He loves you. Besides, now you know how I feel," he laughed. "I'm terrified of our child arriving. I mean, it would have been easier if we had some time and practice with you, but..."

"Oh, come on," Emma rolled her eyes, trying to come up with something to make him feel better. "You're Prince Charming. Being a good father is in your blood."

"And you're my kid, which means it's in yours as well," David grinned. "But listen, you should really tell Hook. I mean, I know we all had our disagreements in the past, but he's come through for all of us, I'm sure he won't fail you this time. And even though I get an ulcer just by thinking about saying it, but by this point I'm pretty sure he truly loves you. True love's kiss and everything."

Emma shook her head, still looking pretty unconvinced. David sighed; he should have known it wouldn't be _that _easy.

"Emma," he tried again, "put yourself in his shoes. Wouldn't you want to know? I would."

"Why are you suddenly fighting for Hook and his shoes?" she asked, her voice slightly teasing.

David rolled his eyes, leaning back on Granny's desk. "I'm not saying he's my favorite person in the world, but he's... you know," he said, rubbing her neck, looking like he was embarrassed, "my mate." Even Emma couldn't keep her laugh at that one.

"You are so in love with him," she said, settling beside him.

He elbowed her in the ribs lightly, making her laugh. "I told you, I'm a married man." They chuckled for a few seconds before little flashing red light caught David's eye. He stared at it, trying to figure out what it meant, before he saw the button with the sticker 'speaker' underneath it. If he didn't feel sick before, he had a feeling he'd puke right about that second.

Emma noticed the horrified, panicked look on his face and pushed herself off the desk. "What? What's wrong?"

"Crap," he muttered, "crap, crap, crap, crap. I'm so sorry, Emma," he apologized, looking up at her. "I didn't see it was turned on."

"What was?" she asked. She was starting to feel just as panicked as David seemed to be. He was contagious.

"The speaker Granny had installed. I... I didn't know it was working."

"Wait..." she said, his words dawning on her. "You're telling me that the whole diner just..."

He nodded, "Heard everything we said. Yep."

Emma was about to say something when the door to the office opened. Hook walked inside with a blank look on his face. His eyes searched Emma's and she tried not to look like she was just caught doing something wrong. Damn it, he wasn't saying anything and they all just stood there in anticipating silence. Emma had an urge to hide behind David's back when her father caught her hand in his and gave it a comforting tap.

"I'll just... go over there," he said pointing at the door. "Leave you two to talk." On his way out he sent Hook one last threatening glance, silently telling him that if Emma ran out of there crying he would hunt him down no matter how long it took.

When David was out of the room Emma took a step forward, willing to actually swallow her pride and apologize for keeping this secret from him, when he cut her off. His face was grim, but when Emma looked more closely she could see the corners of his mouth twitch and she knew he was fighting a grin. She almost wanted to burst out laughing, realizing he wasn't mad at her.

"Hook, I-"

"I came here," he interrupted, "to ask you something. How is it that you had no problem yelling at me for _accidentally _changing the channel, but couldn't tell me I am going to be a father?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Emma puckered her lips, mulling her words over. She grinned a moment later, "It was a really good episode."

* * *

**I've been having a dilemma. Should I start a collection of one-shots? They would be full of Captain Swan, Captain Charming (brotp) and Snowing. I can't help it; they're the reason I scream whenever I watch the show... leave a review-tell me what you think!**

**Hm... **

**P.s. there's a Supernatural reference in there somewhere, whoever finds it first I'll go read and review one of their stories :) deal?**


	2. Family

**This is basically a continuation of the first one shot... just something that I wanted to type out. **

**Don't you think that, if I owned anything, there would be _no _damn winter hiatuses? This one was almost too hurtful.**

* * *

Tuesday night was spaghetti night.

Emma couldn't remember how the tradition was born. All she knew was that one night during their curse-induced "fake" life, Henry and her couldn't decide what to have for dinner. And after a commercial surrounding meatballs came on, they made spaghetti. It became something of a sacred ritual to them, eating pasta with meat sauce on Tuesday night, with SpongeBob reruns playing on TV. They did it every week for a full year, until reality came crashing down on them in the form of a crazy, annoying, leather-clad pirate who insisted her family was in danger.

They got their memories back and defeated the Wicked Witch. They broke yet _another _curse and rebuilt Storybrooke. Things were finally looking up, and one big happy ending for everyone was within their reach.

And yet, with all that, Emma still had a burning desire to hold onto their small, to someone maybe insignificant, tradition. That's why she made sure Henry was with her and not with Neal or Regina on that Tuesday night. They had to save anything worth saving. She felt as if her sanity depended on it.

It was four days after David's oh-so-stupid way of telling the whole town she was pregnant with a certain-someone's baby, and Henry and Emma were rushing around Mary Margaret's old apartment, trying to get everything ready in time. They moved with ease, dancing around each other as they got the plates, the silverware and the food, trying to make it before SpongeBob began.

They plopped on the couch just as the old pirate started to sing the ridiculous theme song.

Emma and Henry grinned, exchanging glances, as they made themselves comfortable. Not even five minutes later, Emma heard knocking come from the front door. She groaned, but placed her plate on the table and patted over to the door, ready to spit fire at whoever it was on the other side.

The knocking became more frantic as she reached the door. "Alright!" she yelled. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

She cocked an eyebrow when she saw Hook on the other side, looking disheveled and sweaty, like he'd been running.

"You're not answering your phone," he said, exasperated. "Why do you even have the bloody thing if you don't use it?" he asked, cutting her off before she even had the time to make up a sentence in her head. She moved out of the way to let him in, following him as he went around the flat like he himself lived there, which, in a way, he did. Hook picked up her jacket and threw it to her, doing the same thing with Henry.

"We have to go," he breathed.

"Go? Go where?"

"The reason I called you?" He said, his eyes finally meeting hers, allowing her to see something that resembled _joy_ shining in them. "You're about to become a sister."

After a painful beat had passed, her brain made the connection. "Mary Margaret's in labor?!" Emma almost screamed, her heart rate doubling in a second. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" she waved her arms around, trying to push them through the holes in her jacket. "Henry," she yelled at the boy who was trying to do the same thing, "c'mon, get a move on it, kid!"

"I'm trying," he said, trying to tie both his shoes at the same time. "I'm having some trouble."

Hook rolled his eyes, watching as the two normally collected people completely crumbled under pressure. "She'll probably have the baby by the time we get there," he muttered under his breath, earning himself a death glare from Emma. Hook held up his hands in silent surrender, trying to get her to stop glaring at him. "Swan? The child," he reminded her.

"Right. Crap," she managed, before grabbing the back of Henry's jacket and yanking him towards the door. "Come on!" she yelled at the pirate who stayed behind in the apartment, who was rolling his eyes at her because she forgot her keys and put on two different boots. Snow had been as kind as to tell him about pregnancy brain, but this was ridiculous.

"Jones!"

* * *

They rushed through the hospital, looking for the maternity unit and trying not to knock anyone over. Emma was feeling frantic, pushing people out of the way and cursing like a truck driver every time someone made her take a detour. They just found the ward, when they heard an ear-piercing scream, one that could only belong to Snow White. Henry and Emma exchanged a glance, before they all sprinted towards the source of the scream.

Hook, who was considerably faster and better at running through a crowded hospital, suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, making Emma run into him and stumble back with her face throbbing painfully. "Hook," she complained, rubbing her face. "Why'd you stop?"

"Look," he said simply, moving out of the way to let her see the sight in front of them.

About fifty people stood there, right outside what seemed to be Mary Margaret's room, all wearing goofy smiles on their faces and talking to each other animatedly. They all had cups of coffee and tea in their hands and were seemingly prepared to spend the night in the hospital. Emma's eyes bulged out. Was this a royalty thing? If they decided to do this once she was giving birth somebody would get shot in the face.

"What the hell?" she wondered quietly enough for only Hook to hear, who chuckled in response. "What are they doing here? Was someone giving out flyers?"

"How do you propose we break through this sea of people?"

"Well, I have an idea..." she trailed off. "People!" Emma shouted, making the room go silent and every head turn in her direction. "If we do not share a bloodline,"

"-bloody improbable..." Hook muttered under his chin.

Emma turned to look at him, and she narrowed her eyes. "Shut up," she quipped, before turning her attention to the townspeople that were looking at their interaction with interest. "As I was saying," Emma continued, "if we're not family, I really need you guys to go home. This place is too crowded."

"But Snow White-" someone piped up, only to be quickly cut off by Emma.

"If anything happens, you'll know. I promise. But no one wants to give birth with an audience present so please, just go home."

For a few long, tense moments everything was quiet, until Mary Margaret's screams cut right through the silence. Little by little, the crowd got smaller and soon only Emma, Henry, Hook, Ruby, Ariel and the dwarfs were there. Emma gave Henry's shoulder a squeeze and sent Hook a look, telling him to watch over her kid. He nodded back and winked at her, pushing her towards the room.

She almost ran in, stopping in the doorway when she caught sight of her parents. Mary Margaret was red and sweaty, and strands of her black hair were glued to her face. She was squeezing David's hand, who looked like he was about to pass out himself. He suppressed a groan every time she squeezed his hand, making Emma realize her mother was a lot stronger than she thought. David looked up and his whole face lit up when he saw her. It was the first time Emma saw him look like he was finally completely happy, like his life was whole and couldn't possibly get better.

"Emma," he said, her name falling off his lips like it was something sacred. "You're here." Pause. David's face fell slightly and he fixed her with a skeptic look. "What took you so damn long? Was it Hook? I'm gonna kill hi-"

"David, now is _not _the time!" Snow growled, as another contraction came her way. "Emma, honey," she said, looking up to meet her eyes, "I'm so glad you're here. I mean, I'm also really sorry, because I know it's your and Henry's spaghetti and SpongeBob niiiight," she moaned, gripping the bed railing even tighter than before.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Emma said, rushing to her side and taking her free hand in hers. "What are you talking about? I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"I know that, I do, but Emma, this whole thing's been really hard for you and ever since we got you back from New York I've just felt like..." she took a deep breath, gritting her teeth through the pain, "... like there's a piece of you that's missing. And before this baby arrives I just want you to know..." she trailed off, sniffling as tears made their way down her cheeks, "... that I love you more than you will ever know and that nobody could ever replace you. You have to know that you'll always be my little girl, that baby that I held in my arms for only two minutes and I already knew I'd die for you. Please, you have to know that."

Emma didn't even know she was started crying until she felt the saltiness of her own tears on her lips. She nodded; looking into her mother's eyes she was completely sure for the first time that she was telling the truth, that somebody loved her unconditionally and would give their life for her. Emma almost laughed at the irony of the situation - in a few short months she'll probably be the one telling Henry the exact same thing. Their lives were so similar, full of pain and regret but maybe they could get past that.

Maybe this kid was the olive branch they all secretly looked for.

"I know," she said, gripping her hand, "I love you guys too. I know I don't say it often, but I do."

"Okay," Whale said, entering the room once more, "things are looking good, your majesties."

"Please tell me you won't deliver the baby," Emma narrowed her eyes at Whale, voicing David's thought perfectly.

"No," Whale laughed, making Emma's face become grimmer. "That's not my area of expertise. The doctor is on his way here, I just came to tell you that the baby is well and safe, ready to face our... wonderful world."

"Thanks, Whale," David drawled, wincing slightly from Snow's grip, "it's always nice to hear sarcasm during my child's birth."

* * *

"One more time, Snow, one more time!" David shouted, urging his wife to make that final push, that would turn their lives around.

"I'm scared, Charming," she cried, looking like this whole thing was bordering on hell for her. "What if I'm not... what if we're-"

"Hey," Emma jumped in, recognizing doubt as soon as she heard her words, "It's okay. We'll do this together. You don't have to be afraid. You've got me, and dad, and Henry, and a whole town full of people who will be right next to you. We won't let you go through this again, I promise."

Not long after, the cries of the newest member of the Charming family filled the room. Mary Margaret slumped back and her head hit the pillow with a soft 'thump', as David and Emma laughed, watching as the nurses took the baby away to wrap it up in a blanket. "It's a healthy, beautiful little princess, your majesty," the doctor said, handing her a small pink bundle. "Congratulations. We'll give you some time."

"Hi," Mary Margaret cooed, smiling at the baby girl who was looking up at her with eyes still adjusting to the light. "How are you doing?"

"She's beautiful," Emma said, looking completely captivated by her sister. "So small."

"You were smaller," Snow said, looking up at her. "And just as beautiful as she is."

Emma rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "Okay, you guys don't have to flatter me. I doubt anyone could be sweeter than this little thing." She let the baby wrap its tiny hand around her finger. "I mean, just look at her. David, you won't be able to say no to her," she said. When she looked at David she found he was already staring back at her.

"Yeah, because I would definitely say no to anything you asked me to do," he remarked playfully.

"Admit it Charming, you're just the kind of dad whose daughters have him wrapped around their little fingers," Ruby said suddenly. She was leaning on the doorway, keeping her hand on Henry's shoulder and looking like she might melt to a puddle.

"Mom!" Henry came closer, settling on the bed beside Emma. They were all a little crowded on the one-person mattress, but none of them cared. "This is so awesome," he said, looking at the baby. "I can't believe she's my aunt," Henry frowned.

Emma chuckled. "I know, right? By the way, what are you guys going to name her?"

"How about Ruth?" Snow proposed, looking up at David. "I mean," she continued when she saw his eyes widened, "it's only fair. Emma was my first choice, I know Ruth would be yours."

"I can't believe you'd do that for me," David said breathlessly.

"David, after everything all of us have been through I want our children to know about their family. If there wasn't for Ruth, Emma would never be born and I think she," Snow said, looking down at the little girl in her arms, "would be proud to have the name of the woman who saved her sister's life."

Emma looked away. Damn Snow and her ability to make her cry like an idiot.

David looked like he was kicked in the throat. "I love you so much," he decided eventually, leaning in to capture Snow's lips with his'.

"Uh, guys," Emma looked around awkwardly, making sure to cover both Henry and Ruth's eyes. "There are kids here."

"Did you count yourself?" Hook's voice made her jump slightly in her seat. She turned around and saw him smirking at her. He stood behind Ruby. Behind the cocky bravado Emma could see he was afraid to walk in the room. She supposed there were many things that keep him out - over-protective David, weak Mary Margaret, crowded room... the newborn baby who probably looked like the one she would be holding in her arms in a couple of months.

Well crap, she just managed to freak herself out.

David looked up from Snow and Ruth and rolled his eyes. "You can come in, Hook. She won't bite. Yet."

Hook slowly inched inside and stood behind Emma. He watched as Mary Margaret let David hold the latest addition to their family. Watching his mate hold her like she was the most precious and fragile thing in the world he wondered if he'll feel like that in about eight months.

He silently admitted he hoped so.

"Killian Jones," David said, "meet my daughter, Ruth."

Hook studied the child, watching her as she yawned and blinked at him a couple of times with her big blue eyes. "She looks like you, Charming," he remarked, feeling his lips stretch in a lazy smile.

Henry accidentally knocked over the IV holder when he got off the bed, creating horrible nose-cringing noise. "Sorry," he frowned, sheepishly looking at Emma.

When the baby let out a full throttle scream, Hook's grin grew.

"She sounds like you too."

* * *

**Oh Hook, you devil. **

**Gotta love Charming family fluff. I gave myself the feels as I wrote this...**

**In other news, OUAT is on tonight! I can't believe how excited I am! I'm probably gonna spend the entire day tomorrow re-watching the episode like an idiot. Fan girl problems.**

**Anyway, leave a review and tell me what you thought of this. Love you :)**


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